Although we’re closed to the public and missing our members and guests, things aren’t slowing down at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. From daily animal care and enrichment to veterinary procedures, special projects and COVID-19 management, we’re operating with energy and passion to prepare for the day we can welcome you back.

“Our organization is unique because although we’re considered an attraction, we are exempt from the stay-at-home order as a critical service, so we won’t halt or slow operations in the absence of guests,” said Jeff Halter, vice president of animal care. “We have animals to feed and care for and a huge mountainside campus to keep up. Our team is enthusiastic and flexible. They’re doing a great job embracing the new responsibilities and fulfilling their normal day-to-day roles, which helps provide a sense of normalcy for our animals and for our staff.”

Animal care is always a top priority. CMZoo keepers are finding creative ways for the animals in their care to stay enriched while guests aren’t visiting. Sometimes, they can enrich two groups of animals simultaneously, by inviting them to visit each other.

“Human guests can be a form of enrichment for our great apes, who often like interacting with our guests through glass walls” said Joanna Husby, animal care manager. “Keepers have found creative ways to enrich the gorillas and orangutans, by inviting small animals like Waffles, our African cape porcupine or Alfred and Harley, our domestic ferrets, to walk the halls of Primate World.”

The visit to Primate World is enriching for the small animals because it’s entirely new terrain, with new sights, smells and sounds. Because the doors won’t open and the great ape habitats are sealed with glass walls from the inside, the ferrets, helmeted guinea fowl, porcupines and more that visit are generally free to roam all of the public spaces in the building.

The small animals’ field trips to Primate World seems to interest the apes, too.

“The Western lowland gorilla troop has been really interested in our little visitors,” said Husby. “They’ll come and sit right by the windows and watch from the other side. The gorillas will even walk from one side of the room to the other, intently watching the smaller animals.”

Keepers are continuing to train with the animals, which will hopefully avoid any training regression due to the pause in animal demonstrations and keeper talks for our guests. That consistent training allows animals to make choices in their own care, such as shifting from one area of their exhibit to another, participating in voluntary blood draws and injections, receiving ongoing hoof care and more.

“In addition to finding creative ways to keep our animals enriched and healthy, all departments in the Zoo have stepped up disinfectant procedures and distancing practices,” said Halter, who also leads CMZoo’s emergency response team.

Permanent Zoo staff are considered essential personnel, so we’re returning to work as usual, as outlined in government mandates. Employees have several options for taking time off work, should they find themselves at risk, exposed to or diagnosed with the virus.

We have socially distanced outdoor staff meetings occasionally, where we share updates and talk through concerns. Leadership keeps employees updated on the challenges our community is facing and the changes we’re embracing on a daily basis. Because the Zoo has been financially conservative for decades, we are fortunately prepared for these types of situations.

The Zoo is also embracing its role as a community resource, even while we can’t invite our community inside our gates. Through online Spring Break Zoo Camp activity videos, keeper talks, animal demonstrations and moments of #CMZooZen, our team continues to reach our fans and inspire a love for animals and the natural world. CMZoo’s social media platforms are buzzing with our timely series called Abnormally Normal.

Although we’re temporarily closed, we’re permanently committed to caring for our animals and keeping you connected to our mission, our animals and the natural world. It’s definitely an abnormal time in the world, but we’re providing special glimpses at how normal things are at the Zoo. Follow our Abnormally Normal Video Series on Facebook and YouTube! As always, our guests are enjoying the giraffe herd remotely, using our two live streaming Giraffe Cams overlooking the outdoor yard.

We’re preparing for our Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) accreditation inspection, which is scheduled for this summer. The accreditation process is intense, and happens once every five years. We’re taking this time to tackle small projects around the Zoo that help prepare us for inspection. Helping us with those tasks are our guest services staff, who have worked tirelessly to take on projects outside of their usual responsibilities, to make sure the Zoo is as fresh, clean and organized as possible when we welcome AZA inspectors later this year.

Currently, the Zoo has a goal to reopen to the public as soon as April 17, 2020. However, we will take cues from our local and national government officials to see if that timeline still makes sense as we get closer to the date. For the latest updates on the Zoo’s reopening date, check out the green alert bar link at the top of the page at cmzoo.org/alerts.

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We’ve created a CMZoo 2020 Bucket List! As a new decade approaches, see how many of these unique experiences you can check off the list.

1. Ride the Mountaineer Sky Ride – Our one-of-a-kind chair lift takes you high up above the exhibits, for a true bird’s eye view of our mountain zoo, Colorado Springs and the eastern plains. It’s open year-round, weather permitting. May 1 through Labor Day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last ride starting at 4:30 p.m. September through April the Mountaineer Sky Ride runs weekends only from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the last ride starting at 3:30 p.m. Daytime Sky Ride membership passes can be purchased. With admission to the Zoo, combo package tickets are $4 for adults and $3 for children, or $5 for adults and $3 for children at the Sky Ride booth.



2. Feed an Elephant – Have you ever been close enough to an 8,000-pound elephant to feel its breath on your hand? You can do that at CMZoo! For $10 or $15 (depending on how much you’d like to feed them), March through October, you can participate in scheduled elephant feedings. Check cmzoo.org/shows for a complete schedule of animal demonstrations.
3. Ride the Carousel – Feel the wind in your hair on our historic carousel. Built circa 1926 and acquired by Spencer Penrose from the Allan Herschell Company of New York to be installed in 1937, it has become a cherished feature of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo.
4. Have a Slice at Pizza with a View – This place might change your mind about the food options available at popular attractions. Aptly named “Pizza with a View” for its breathtaking scenery, this European-style pizzeria serves hand-made pizzas, salads, local craft beer, wine and dessert. It’s open year-round from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and gluten-friendly, vegetarian and vegan options are available.
5. See the Grizzly Bear Demonstration – At one of our most popular animal demonstrations, you’ll learn all about Digger and Emmett, CMZoo’s two male grizzly bears. The demonstrations take place daily at 2:45 p.m. in Rocky Mountain Wild, named Fifth Best Zoo Exhibit in the U.S. in 2019 by USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice. Keepers work with one grizzly through a fence, mere feet away from guests, while another keeper trains with the second grizzly bear to demonstrate their flexibility, strength, speed and other natural behaviors.
6. Attend an Evening Event – From our popular family events, like our Halloween tradition, Boo at the Zoo, and our holiday lights display, Electric Safari, to our 21-and-up events throughout the year, our evening events offer a new perspective of the Zoo, as well as a tradition for our community. Find out more at cmzoo.org/events.
7. Feed the Giraffe Herd – Perhaps our most popular activity, feeding the giraffe is a must-do for anyone visiting Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Regardless of the weather, guests can feed our giraffe herd for $3 to $5 per bundle of lettuce. Once you’ve been licked by an 18-inch giraffe tongue, your life will never be the same.
8. Experience a WildNight – Have you ever wondered what it’d be like to have the Zoo to yourself after the sun goes down? WildNights are sleepover programs that include dinner, giraffe feeding, a guided evening tour, an up-close animal encounter at The Loft, a guided morning tour and admission to the Zoo for the following day. Sign up for a scheduled WildNight or create a sleepover of your own at cmzoo.org/wildnight.
9. Take an Outdoor School Class – CMZoo’s Outdoor School offers hands-on and interactive experiences and programs for people interested in connecting with nature, the outdoors, and their families. Classes occur on Zoo grounds, or offsite in other nature-based environments. The focus is less on animals at the Zoo and more on the powerful impacts nature has on us. For a full schedule of upcoming classes, visit cmzoo.org/outdoorschool.



10. Feed an African Rhino – For $10 or $15 (depending on how much you’d like to feed him), March through October, you can feed and get to know Jumbe, 16-year-old CMZoo African rhino. Visit cmzoo.org/shows for a complete schedule of animal demonstrations and feeding opportunities.
11. Watch the American Alligator Keeper Talk – Daily at 11 a.m. in Australia Walkabout, meet CMZoo’s gator keepers. Visit CMZoo’s three American alligators at their heated pool and rocks, to learn about their incredible intelligence and unusual digestive characteristics.
12. Take a V.I.P. Tour – If you’re looking for an extra-special behind-the-scenes experience, a CMZoo V.I.P. Tour may be for you! The V.I.P. experience includes admission to the Zoo for the day, a guided overview of the Zoo (from a golf cart), a Safari Trail tour of African Rift Valley or an exploration of The Loft, giraffe feeding and three behind-the-scenes animal encounters with participating animals of your choice. More information is available at cmzoo.org/viptour.
13. Attend World Giraffe Day – CMZoo hosts animal awareness events throughout the year, but one of our most popular is World Giraffe Day. It’s annually held on the longest day of the year to salute our longest necked animals in the world – June 21. The Zoo plans events throughout the day, including special enrichment activities and training programs with the giraffe herd.
14. Get Face-to-Face with an Orangutan – Visit CMZoo’s six orangs in Primate World. The great apes enjoy engaging with guests through glass that allows guests and Primate World residents to interact just inches away. Twice daily throughout the year, orangutans can participate in training and keeper demonstrations, where guests can get to know their personalities, learn about their family dynamics and witness their impressive intelligence.
15. Participate in the Chicken Parade at My Big Backyard – Consistently a favorite guest experience is the chicken parade, which occurs each morning and evening on warmer days throughout the year. Keepers invite guests to help the 18 chickens, of various unique breeds, parade from their overnight roost to their yard in My Big Backyard.
16. Feed a Domestic Goat – For $1, guests can feed our domestic goats, probably like never before. A bike-tire-and-pulley system allows guests to fill a cup with feed, which the goats can raise to a 20-foot platform where they stand by turning the bicycle wheel.
17. Splurge on a Behind-the-Scenes Encounter – Have you ever wanted to go behind the scenes at the Zoo, to participate in an animal training session, or even feed your favorite animal ambassador? Make memories with friends, family and our animals and staff by scheduling an encounter. North American river otters, African elephants, African lions, Amur tigers, orangutans and more can participate in these encounters. See the details at cmzoo.org/encounter.
18. Earn Bragging Rights at Run to the Shrine – May 16, 2020 is CMZoo’s annual Run to the Shrine – a four-mile walk/run through the Zoo, on breathtaking forest roads, to Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun. It’s the only day of the year that people can access the road on foot. And, if the views don’t take your breath away, the impressive 1,000-foot elevation gain will. More information at cmzoo.org/run (Early registration begins Jan. 30!)
19. Spend a Snow Day at the Zoo – Ask any CMZoo staff member – snow days at America’s mountain Zoo are magical. They usually occur during winter months, when guests can take advantage of Value Days admission pricing. Plus, smaller crowds mean guests get even more individual attention from our outgoing and engaging staff. Many animals, like mountain lions, Canada lynx and river otters, get a little extra spring in their step during cooler temperatures, too.
20. Attend a Wolf Feeding and Keeper Talk – These scheduled feedings are your best bet for seeing CMZoo’s endangered Mexican wolf pack up close. Because we intentionally keep our wolves as wild as possible, you won’t see wolves training with their keepers. But, at feeding time, keepers will help you get to know the pack dynamic, and tell you all about their tight bonds and what you can do to help restore this endangered species in the wild.

 
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Many people wonder how we find the amazing staff who care for our animals. What are their backgrounds? What makes them qualified? How do they work together? Just as our year-round sponsor, Children’s Hospital Colorado, shares tips on choosing great child care, we’re sharing what we look for in the incredible folks who care for our animals and how their positions support each other.

It takes a lot of dedicated people to make sure Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s animals receive the best possible care, whether that’s ensuring the animals are physically and mentally stimulated, their habitats are clean and engaging, their diets support their nutritional needs, and any medical issues are addressed.

In addition to having the skills and experience necessary to care for our animals, our animal department staff is passionate about helping guests get to know the animals. Our goal is always to help people make personal connections with animals, which we hope will inspire them to take action to protect species in the wild.

From keeper assistants to keepers and lead keepers, animal care managers and more, our team members’ animal care experience varies, but attention to guest service is a trait CMZoo values just as equally.

“Our animal department team members have a variety of experience, but all have experience working with animals and the public,” said Jeff Halter, vice president of animal collections. “We look for people who are passionate about animals and people. It makes our searches for candidates somewhat difficult, because some people who get into this field are there for the animals and might not immediately see the importance of helping people care about them as much as we do. That may make you a successful candidate for other organizations, but not here. The passion here has to be for connecting guests and animals.”

Although that combination of skills can be hard to find, it’s vital for reaching our organization’s goals. Our animal care staff is a unique group of people who can comfortably communicate with people and animals, while being able to act calmly under pressure and work in challenging physical environments.

“When we interview potential new team members, I’m looking for qualities that your parents probably taught you. ‘Be a good person. Be nice. Share.’” said Halter. “You need to have worked with mostly exotic animals, and also have similar philosophies about how animals in human care are managed. Your background and experience need to align with ours, so that we can trust that your assumptions about how we’d like you to manage something without immediate managerial input are correct.”

Keeper assistants are there to help animal keepers with day-to-day tasks, like feeding, preparing enrichment for animals, and preparing and distributing animals’ diets. Handling these tasks allows keepers to focus on animal training behaviors and demonstrations that help connect guests with animals. Keepers are fundamental in monitoring animal welfare and relaying any issues to veterinary staff and management, so decision makers are connected and can act quickly to address those issues.

Lead keepers maintain a bigger picture of what needs to occur daily in their animals’ areas. They set goals and work with managers, keeper assistants and their fellow keepers to make sure projects are being completed. They also act as a voice to relay animal updates and direction between managers and keepers.

Animal care managers each oversee multiple animal areas. For example, one manager oversees Monkey Pavilion and Primate World, while another oversees Australia Walkabout, Rocky Mountain Wild and Asian Highlands. They also manage the keepers in those areas, handling their schedules, training and more.

They’re also focused on working with Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Taxon Advisory Groups – which examine the sustainability and conservation needs of entire taxa and develop recommendations for population management and conservation based upon the needs of the species and AZA-accredited institutions. They’re also responsible for working with each species’ AZA Species Survival Plan (SSP) to make sure we’re following breeding recommendations and transporting or receiving animals, based on those recommendations. As part of their work with SSPs, they manage the introductions of animals to each other to support breeding or companionship plans.

“People who are successful at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo are positive, solutions-oriented people,” said Halter. “You have to have the ability to work as a team, sharing your experiences and skills with others to help us all grow as an organization. We become leaders in our field by doing the good work here and sharing it, so it will spill over and impact the greater Zoo profession.”
 
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